


All For Love of Thee

by within_a_dream



Category: The Demon Lover - Traditional Ballad
Genre: F/F, F/M, Ghosts, Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 06:20:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2497712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/within_a_dream/pseuds/within_a_dream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lydia had known when she met Gwen that this was a love that would change her life. She could never have guessed how true that would prove.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All For Love of Thee

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Quillori](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quillori/gifts).



On a summer day, sitting by the river and watching a dragonfly skim across the water, Lydia fell in love.  Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that love fell into her. As she watched the dragonfly flit from rock to rock, she caught sight of a girl chasing it, leaping across the river nimble as could be. Until, that is, her skirt snagged on a log. She tumbled down, landing on Lydia’s lap and pulling them both into the river.

 

“I’m so sorry!” She tried to help Lydia up, but only succeeded in drenching both of them more. “Oh, I’ve ruined your dress!”

 

“It’s seen worse.” Lydia smiled, and the girl, after a moment of hesitation, smiled back.

 

When they finally made it out of the river, and Gwen (as Lydia learned her name was) finished with her apologies, she proved to be quite the conversationalist. They talked for hours—Lydia didn’t realize how much time had passed until she looked up and realized the sun had long since set and her still-damp dress was freezing to her skin.

 

“I have to leave, but…will you be here tomorrow?”

 

Gwen grinned. “For you, I’d be here forever.”

 

She was, indeed, there tomorrow, and the days that followed. Somewhere along the line, their friendship blossomed into love, their conversations turned to kisses, and they began to make plans for the rest of their lives.

 

One day, when Lydia arrived at the river’s edge, Gwen was already waiting (uncharacteristic of her) with a grim look set on her face (even more strange.) Before Lydia could ask what the matter was, Gwen blurted out, “I’m leaving.”

 

 _Where?_ Lydia wanted to ask, or _Why?_ or _What about me?_ But she couldn’t bring herself to speak, and Gwen went on.

 

“I’ve found a position on a merchant’s ship. I’m to set sail tomorrow. I love you, Lydia, I do, but this is the chance of a lifetime.”

 

“I love you,” Lydia said. “I’ll wait.”

 

“I swear I’ll be back.”

 

“I’ll hold you to that.”

 

As they said their farewells on the dock the next morning, Lydia pretended not to notice that Gwen’s kiss was tinged with tears. She watched the white sails disappear over the horizon, and felt her heart go with them.

 

Gwen sailed, and Lydia waited. A year passed, and she began to worry. Two years, and she gave up hope of seeing her love again. Three years, and a man began to call. His name was Alan, a house carpenter by trade. His smile didn’t make her heart sing as Gwen’s had, but he was kind, and his hands were gentle. He knew to let her sit in silence on the days when she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the sea.

 

Time passed, and Lydia grew used to Alan. She couldn’t say she was in love, but she was comfortable. They had a son together, and he filled part of the hole in Lydia’s heart that Gwen had left.

 

She never stopped looking out at the sea, hoping to see Gwen’s boat approaching. Then, one day, she did.

 

It couldn’t be the same ship, Lydia told herself. There were many vessels with those same white sails, and it would be foolish to get her hopes up. Still, she couldn’t stop herself from running to the dock, and she couldn’t hold back her tears when she saw a familiar face at the bow.

 

Lydia could tell it was Gwen, even from so far a distance, but she could also tell that Gwen had changed. Her face was long and wan, her hair stiff with salt. When she saw Lydia waving, she only managed a ghost of her former grin. It took a small eternity for the ship to reach land, and even longer for Gwen to reach her.

 

“You came back.”

 

Gwen’s kiss tasted like the sea. “I had to. I swore I would.”

 

“I thought you were gone.” Lydia wanted to cling to Gwen, but her skin was cold and she flinched away from her touch. “I’m married, Gwen. I have a son.”

 

Gwen smiled like her heart was breaking. “I had to come back, but you don’t have to come with me.”

 

Lydia thought about a life on land, in her sturdily-built house, and she couldn’t breathe. “I want to.”

 

“You understand what you’re doing?”

 

Lydia smiled, took Gwen’s hand, and stepped aboard the ship.

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my favorite folk songs, and I was so excited to see that someone had nominated it! I couldn't resist writing a treat.


End file.
